Ham boiler



Dec. 1 .1925. 1,563,986

F. E. HODDERSEN-BALLING HAM'BOILER Filed April 23, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec-.1, 1925- 1,563,986 F. ,E. HODDERSEN-BALLING HAM BOILER Filed April 23, 1925 2 Sheets-sh ed 2 Patented Dec. 1, 1925.

. UNITED. stare FREDERICK EDWARD HODDEPeiiEN-BALLING, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

HAM BOILER.

Application filed April 23, 1925. Serial No. 25,251.

To'all whom it inlay concern:

'Be it known that I, Fnnonaion EDWARD llonnnnsnn-Bannmc, a citizen'of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in thecounty of Kings and State of New York have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ham Boilers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ham boilers, an object of the invention being to providean improved ham boiler so constructed that the ham will have an octagonal shape thereby to insure a better slicing thereof and which will prevent unnecessary waste at the knuckle end of the ham. A further obg'cct of the invention is the provision of an improved boiler, which will be simple in construction and operation, and in which the cover cannot only be quickly and readily attached and detached by a. simple improved locking means, but which locking means will efliciently hold the cover in place during the pressing and cooking of the ham and the manipulation of the boiler by the operator.

In the drawin s accompanying and forming a part of thisspecification, Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of this improved ham boiler; Fig. 2 is a top view thereof; Fig. '3 is a cross sectional viewtaken on the lines 33 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig.4 is a front end view of this improved boiler; Fig.6 is a sectional view of a part of thelocking means at one end of the boiler; Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on lines 6-6 of a part of the locking means at the 'oppositee'nd of the boiler, and Fig. 7 is a view of the latch member or lever detached. y

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

Before explaining in detail the present improvement and mode of operation thereof, I desire to have it understood that the invention is not limited to the details of con struction and arrangement of parts which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments, and that the phraseology which I employ is'for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

This improved ham boiler comprises a body 2 of oval form having a bottom 3 provided with an inclined portion or end 4, which bottom is connected with the side walls 5 by a sloping wall 6, thus avoiding sharp corners difiicult to clean and keep in a sanitary condition. It also savesmetal and reduces the weightof the boiler, but it provides in connection with the cover a form of boiler which will giveto the ham pressed and cooked therein an octagonal shape which is not only pleasing but is helpful in the slicing of the ham.

The inclined bottom portion is provided with a keel 7 which enables the boiler to rest firmly upon any suitable support without tipping forward. The cover 8 of suitable form to it into the body comprises a flat plate having an outwardly inclined or sloping depending flange 9 thus forming when in place in the body of the boiler an octagonal form of boiler whereby the ham is given this shape when pressed and cooked therein;

Extending lengthwise of the. cover midway of its length is a reinforcing rib 10 having near each end a'pair' of cross reinforcing bars or members 11. This construction effectively reinforces the cover, which together with the body will preferably be made of aluminum. The lengthwise extending'rib 'ofthe cover is preferably provided with a pair of upstanding cars 12. handle bar 13 which serves not only as a means for manipulating the boiler, but also for locking the cover to the body comprises alengthwiseextending bar provided along The itsunder side with a reinforcing rib 14.

This handle bar is cut away or slotted above this reinforcing-rib at two points as at 15. Bolted to the upstanding ears 12 of the cover is a pair of straps 15 the upper end of each of which overlaps the rib-of the handle bar thus connecting the handle bar with the cover, the cut-out portions or slots in the handle bar permitting the straps to overlap the rib of the handle bar and as the slots are longer than the width of the straps one end of the handle bar and thereby the cover can be pressed downwardly to a greater extent than the other and furthermore, the handle bar can have a longitudinal movement to insure the effective locking of the handle bar to the body. In the present improved structure it will be observed that the straps 15 encircle the rib only of the handle bar instead ofthe entire handle bar, this being permitted in the structure shown owing to the slots 15 located abovethe rib 14 so that in the normal position of the cover these straps 15' are below the to of the handle bar. In the use of these ham boilers one is placed upon the top of another in the vat.

vided with a pair of lengthwise extending.

ribs 16. The longitudinally extending rib on the cover together with that on the underside ofthe handle bar serves to limit the downward movement of the handle bar and as {before stated; the elongated slots in the handle bar not only enables one end of the handle bar to-be pressed further down than the other, so that the cover will conform to the, shape of the ham but enables the handle bar to have a somewhat longitudinal movement relatively to the cover'which permits the locking hooks hereinafter referred to to be selfeadjusting and a firmer engagement thereof with the body ratchet maintained. The handlebar is provided with a pair of ribreinforcing cross bars 17, the ends of which terminate in tubular sockets 18 for the reception of coil springs 19, the lower ends of wh ch receive studs 20 carried at the ends of the cross bars or members of the cover. .Thus the handlebar is connected to the cover" midway of the length thereof by a pair of straps and also has a resilient fourpoint connection vwith the cover whereby a better and more equal compressing and shapingof the ham is obtained when it is placed in the boiler a d a o ahetter and more equal shaping thereof obtained during the oki g f the ham- 7 The handle bar'is provided at each end with afswinging member or latch member 21 as it h ein c lled wh pr ded i h I way f th Width f he l a pai f ransver ely e tendi g tee or hooks, one asj22 located horizontally of the latch member at its we e d and h other as 23 extendingvertically substantially mid- The horize tallvlee ted eeth e r s w in l n d, the inclination of the tooth of one latch member ing oppos t to hat of the t and b h tee re bevel d inwar y towar he e e Qa ied a a h end of e y for cooperating with the latch lever are two spaced sets ofratchet teeth 21 and 24 like. ise. r s wise in line os at n end f he bedy being nclin d pp i e to those t the other end of; the body and one set ofthese athe teeth 24 alo g its i ner ge r cu or beveled. inwardly to form a set of coopcrating vertical teeth 25 for the vertically located tooth or book 23 of its ratchet lever.

- The vertically located tooth of one ratchet lever projects in the opposite direction to that of the other latch member.

. Thus the handle bar and thereby the cover is connected at each end of the boiler by a double locking means which enables the boiler to bejreadily manipulated without liahih y o theeever e ingsepar t d f the body either during the handling or cooking of the ham since the inclination of the horizontally extending'locking teeth tends to pull the vertically extending ratchet teeth or hooks into engagement when the boiler is lifted by the handle bar and thus maintain the cover locked to the body against premature displacement during the handling or cooking of the ham in the boiler.

Furthermore, the vertically located locking means also acts to maintain the crosswise or horizontally extending, locking means in engagement with each other during the pressing of the ham in the boiler prior to its cooking and during the shrinkage of the meat while being cooked.

From the foregoing it will be seen thatI have provided a very much improved ham boiler in which proper and adequate pressure can be brought upon the ham during the pressing of the ham into the boiler and effectively maintained thereon during the cooking process so that the ham will be properly shaped and in which the front end of the boiler will more nearly conform to the knuckle end of the ham and leave but little space for the forcing of the fat into this part of the boiler and the consequent waste thereof around the knuckle end of the ham. At the same time, the handle bar which serves as a means for connecting the body to the cover and also as a means for manipulating the boiler is effectively locked to the body by a double form of locking means which during the manipulation of the boiler by the operator tends to increase its holding efiioiency rather than to diminish it, that is to sa the crosswise inclination of the horizontal locking teeth during the lifting of the boiler tends to maintain the vertically located locking teeth in proper engagement, while at the same time these vertically located locking teeth tend to hold the horizontally located locking teeth of the latch levers in proper cooperative position to engage the successive teeth during the compression of the ham by meansof the cover so that each not only performs its own function, but also assists the other in performing its function.

Furthermore, the spaced sets of ratchet teeth at each end of the body between which the vertical toot-h of the latch lever projects, also materially assists in maintaining the latch lever in position and guiding it when the ham is being compressed in the boiler to insure the proper cooperative engagement of the horizontal hook or toot-h of the latch lever with the spaced sets of ratchet teeth of the body. That is to say, the spaced sets of ratchet teeth form a guide for the vertical tooth of the latch lever during the compression of the ham in the boiler and insure a proper locking of the handle bar with the body and prevent the ratchet levers from having lateral play and thus effectively maintain the vertical tooth of the latch lever in proper engagement with the vertical teeth of the body and consequently prevent outward swinging of the latch levers during the compression of the ham in the boiler.

It is to be understood that by describing in detail herein any particular form, structure or arrangement, it is not intended to limit the invention beyond the terms of the several claims or the requirements of the prior art.

Having thus explained the nature of my said invention and described a way of constructing and using the same, although without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made, or all ofthe modes of its use, I claim:

1. In a ham boiler comprising a body and acover, a locking means for connecting the cover with the body and comprising a swinging member connected with the cover, and cooperating means carrried by said swinging member and body and including two sets of spaced ratchet teeth and located side by side.

2 In a ham boiler comprising a body and a cover, a locking means for connecting the cover with the body and comprising a swing ing member connected with the cover, and cooperating means carried by said swinging member and body and including two sets of spaced ratchet teeth located side by side on the body. I

3. In a ham boiler comprising a body and a cover, a locking means for connecting the cover with the body and comprising a swinging member connected with the cover, and cooperating means carried by said swinging member and body and including two sets of spaced ratchet teeth, said teeth being crosswise inclined in the direction of the width of the body.

4. In a ham boiler comprising a body and a cover, a locking means for connecting the cover with the body and comprising a swinging member connected with the cover, and cooperating means carried by said swinging member and body and including a pair of teeth transversely disposed one to the other and two sets of spaced ratchet teeth, one set of said ratchet teeth having tooth-formed ends.

5. In a ham boiler comprising a body and a cover, a locking means for connecting the cover with the body and comprising a swinging member connected with the cover, and cooperating means carried by said swinging member and body and including a pair of teeth transversely disposed one to the other and two sets of spaced ratchet teeth, one set of said ratchet teeth having its inner ends tooth-formed.

6. In a ham boiler comprising a body and a cover, a locking means for connecting the cover with the body and comprising a swinging member connected with the cover at each end of the bddy and cooperating means carried by said swinging members and body and including two sets of spaced ratchet teeth at each end of the body, said teeth being crosswise inclined in the direction of the width of the body, the inclination of one set of teeth at one end being opposite to that at the other end.

7. In a ham boiler comprising a body and a cover, a locking means for connecting the cover with the body and comprising a swinging member connected with the cover at each end of the body, and cooperating means carried by said swinging memibers and body and including a pair of transversely disposed teeth and two sets of spaced ratchet teeth at-each end of the body, said teeth being crosswise inclined in the direction of the width of the body, the inclination of one set of teeth at one end being opposite to that at the other end and one set of said ratchet teeth at each end having tooth-formed ends.

8. In a 11am boiler comprising a body and a cover, a locking means for connecting the cover with the body and comprising a swinging member connected with the cover at each end of the body, and cooperating means carried by said swinging members and body and including a pair of transversely disposed inwardly projecting teeth carried by each swinging member and two sets of spaced ratchet teeth on the body at each end thereof, said teeth being crosswise inclined in the direction of the width of the body, one set of said ratchet teeth having tooth-formed ends, the inclination of the ratchet teeth at one end of the body and of one tooth of the swinging member being opposite to that at the other end.

9. In a ham boiler comprising a body and a cover, a locking means for connecting the cover with the body and comp-rising a swinging member connected with the cover at each end of the body, and cooperating means carried by said swinging members and body and including a pair of transversely disposed inwardly projecting teeth carried by each swinging member and two sets of spaced ratchet teethon the body at each end thereof, said teeth being crosswise inclined in the direction of the width of the body, one set of said ratchet teeth having tooth-formed ends, the inclination of the ratchet teeth at one end of the body and of one tooth of the swinging member being opposite to that at the other end, and one transverse tooth of one swinging member projecting oppoi sitely to that of the other swinging member.

10. In a ham boiler comprising a body, a cover therefor and a spring-controlled handle bar connected with the cover, a locking means connecting the handle bar with the body and comprising a swinging member connected with the handle bar and cooperating teeth carried by the swinging memher and body for locking said swinging member and thereby the cover against movement in one direction, and a transversely acting set of cooperating teeth also carried by the swinging member and body for locking the swinging member against movement in other directions.

11. A ham boiler comprising a body, a cover therefor, a handle bar provided with a rib and with slots above said rib, a pair of straps extending into said slots and overlapping the rib or the handle bar for connecting said handle bar with the cover, the top of said strapsbeing normally located below the top of the handle bar.

12. A ham boiler comprising an ovalshaped body, the sides and bottom of which are connected by a sloping corner, said bot tom having an inclined end, and a cover having a depending outwardly extending flange thereby forming with the body an octagonal shaped boiler, a spring-controlled handle bar provided with a rib and with slots above said rib, a pair of straps extending into said slots and overlapping the rib of the handle bar for connecting said handle bar with the cover, the top oisaid'straps being normally located below the topof the handle bar, and

means. for locking the handle bar to the body. 1

13.A ham boiler comprising an ovalshaped body, the sides and bottom of which are connected by a sloping corner, said bottom having an inclined end, a cover having a depending outwardly extending flange thereby forming with the body an octagonal shaped boiler, a spring-controlled handle bar provided with a rib and with slots above said rib, a pair of straps extending into said slots and overlapping the rib of the-handle bar for connecting said handle bar with the cover, the top of said straps being normally located below the top of the handle bar, and locking means connec ng the handle bar-with the body and comprising a swinging member connected with the bandle bar and cooperating teeth carried by the swinging member and body for locking said swinging member and thereby the cover against movement in one direction, and a transversely acting set of cooperating teeth also carried by the swinging member and body for locking the swinging member against movement in other directions.

Signed at Brooklyn, New York, this 18 day 01 April, 1925.

FREDERICK EDWARD HODDERSEN-BALLING. 

